Small vessel vasculitis can exist in various forms such as cutaneous vasculitis, urticarial vasculitis, leukocytoclastic vasculitis, livedo vasculitis and nodular vasculitis (See generally, Jennette and Falk, N. Engl. J. Med., 337(21):1512–23 (1997)). Some small vessel vasculitis, e.g., cutaneous vasculitis, is a heterogeneous group of disorders, which can be confined to the skin or may be part of an associated systemic disease (Mat et al., Baillieres Clin. Rheumatol., 11(2):237–57 (1997)). Various aetiological agents as well as conditions that mimic skin vasculitis, usually present with similar clinical features; mainly palpable purpura. The skin biopsies usually show leukocytoclastic vasculitis. This poses a great diagnostic and therapeutic challenge for the physician.
Certain tumors, such as neuroectodermal tumor, epithelial tumor or myelomonocytic tumor, also exist in various forms (See e.g., Kaya et al., Int. J. Pediatr. Otorhinolaryngol., 52(2):169–72 (2000); de Alava and Gerald, J. Clin. Oncol., 18(1):204–13 (2000); de Souza et al., Oral Surg. Oral Med. Oral Pathol. Oral Radiol. Endod., 88(4):466–8 (1999); Toda et al., Auris Nasus Larynx, 26(1):83–90 (1999); Kiratli et al., Ophthalmology, 106(1):98–102 (1999); Ching et al., Am. J. Neuroradiol., 21(2):343–5 (2000); Bergers and Coussens, Curr. Opin. Genet. Dev., 10(1):120–7 (2000); Aunoble et al., Int. J. Oncol., 16(3):567–76 (2000); and Lieutaud et al., Leuk. Lymphoma., 34(3–4):405–8 (1999)).
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide methods for prognosing or diagnosing vasculopathy, neuroectodermal tumors, epithelial tumors and myelomonocytic tumors.